


Ties of Blood

by KannaChan



Category: DRAMAtical Murder - All Media Types
Genre: Incest, M/M, Multi, Original Character(s), Yaoi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-18
Updated: 2019-01-04
Packaged: 2019-08-04 02:36:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 9,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16338191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KannaChan/pseuds/KannaChan
Summary: Koujaku's American cousin Vincent is coming to live with him and Aoba. How will this effect their relationship? Does Desire have an interest in Vincent? Set in Koujaku's good ending.





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Hey Koujaku, you got a letter".

 

Aoba Seragaki dropped the letter on his boyfriends's Koujaku's coffee table.

 

"Eh? A letter?" Koujaku asked, surprised. Who even wrote letters anymore when email was available?

 

Aoba and Koujaku lived on the island of Midorijima, southwest of the Japanese island of Honshu. It wasn't a bad place to live, although up until a year ago, a businessman named Toue owned the island. He had bought the island several years ago in order to build a huge amusement park called Platinum Jail for the rich and had forced a large portion of the citizens to move into slum areas when they refused to leave the island. As punishment, four years ago he had made it illegal to leave the island without permission, which was never granted.

Last year though, it was discovered that Toue had been planning to brainwash the whole island and so Aoba and Koujaku had infiltrated Platinum Jail and Toue's headquarters, the Oval Tower with Koujaku's Rib gang, the Benishigure to bring the operation to a halt.

 

For reasons unknown, the tower had become unstable and had collapsed, ending Toue's scheme once and for all. No one really knew what had happened to Toue though. His body was never recovered.

 

At any rate, his plans had become public and now Platinum Jail was open to all. Aoba and Koujaku had become a couple shortly afterwards and it's been 6 months since Aoba had moved in with Koujaku.

* * *

  
Koujaku picked up the letter and opened the envelope using a paring knife. He unfolded the piece of paper and read carefully for a few minutes as Aoba watched. Koujaku's brows furrowed.

 

"What is it?" Aoba asked, concerned. It wasn't often that he saw Koujaku look so serious.

 

"It's from my cousin in America. He's writing to tell me that my aunt and uncle have died in a plane crash." Koujaku said grimly.

 

"OHHH...." Aoba exclaimed. "I'm sorry to hear that" Aoba said, putting his hand sympathetically on Koujaku's shoulder. "I didn't really know them that well, but my aunt was my mother's sister. She often talked about her and how much she missed her". Koujaku replied. "Technically they were half-sisters. They had the same mother, my grandmother, but different fathers.My aunt married an American man and moved to New York and of course my mother became the mistress of a Yakuza leader" Koujaku laughed bitterly.

 

"I see. Was that all your cousin says? What's his name?" Aoba asked, curiously.

 

"His named is Vincent. He's about six years younger than I am. And he is saying in his letter that he wants to come live in Midorijim and if I am willing to be a guarantor for him."

"A guarantor? What's that?" Aoba asked, confused.

"A gurantor is someone who is a resident and can vouch for them to be trustworthy enough to pay his rent and is willing to take financial responsibility if he doesn't pay", was the reply.

 

"Ooh, so do you plan to do it? Are you willing to trust him enough to do that?" Aoba asked, leaning over Koujaku's shoulder to peer at the letter.

 

"I don't know yet. I don't want to tell him no right off bat though. What do you think, Aoba?"

 

"What? Me?" Aoba pointed at himself. "My opinion doesn't really matter, does it? I mean, he's your cousin and if you don't want to do it then that's really all that counts."

 

Koujaku was quiet for a few minutes. "You know...maybe he could stay here for a while and we can see how finacially responsible he is before I decide to be his gurantor", he mused.

 

"Stay with us? Do we have a place to put him?" Aoba said, surprised.

 

"I was thinking he could stay in the living room on the couch. It would only be for about 2 or 3 months. That would give him a chance to find a job and he can pay a share of the rent and utilities. That will give me a chance to see if he can be trusted."

 

"But what will he think when we, ah, do it? We aren't exactly quiet about it". Aoba asked.

 

Koujaku shrugged. "He'll have to get used to it. It's no one else's business what we do".

 

Aoba sat and thought it over. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. It might be fun getting to know one of Koujaku's relatives. And as Koujaku said, it was only for a few months.

 

"Well, if you are willing to do that, then I have no objections either". Aoba said finally.

 

"Then I will write him back and let him know about the arrangment" Koujaku answered, getting up and finding a pen and a piece of paper, sat down at the dining room table and began to write.


	2. A Brighter Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vincent receives a reply from Koujaku.

Chapter 2

  
Vincent rushed into his apartment and excitedly opened the envelope that had just arrived in the mail. It was from his cousin Koujaku from Midorijima in Japan. He had anxiously been awaiting this letter for at least three weeks. With trembling fingers, he held the letter and read silently to himself.

 

Dear Vincent  
I have received your letter and I am saddened by the news of your parent's death and regret not being able to attend the funeral. You have my condolances. My mother always missed her sister dearly and I always regretted not getting to know her better. As for your inquiry, I've discussed it with my boyfriend and we've decided that I might be your guarantor. However, I have some conditions. Being a guarantor is a big responsibility. If you are unable to make your payments, I'll be required to make them. So to make sure you are financially responsible, you will live with me for three months. During that time, I expect you to find a job and you will put half of your earnings in a bank and half of what is left will be your rent. I will help you set up a bank account. You will stay in my living room on the couch. If you can prove you are responsible for your finances, I will agree to vouch for you. My Coil number is 'number censored' so you can contact me when you are ready to come to Midorijima. You will have to buy your own plane ticket. Pack sensibly as I do not have much storage room.  
Sincerely, Koukaku

 

Vincent let out a breath of relief. He had been anxious that Koujaku would refuse. After all, he and Koujaku barely knew each other. They had only met twice. The first time was when their grandmother had died and Vincent and his parents had attended her funeral. The second time was when his aunt, Koujaku's mother had died. He didn't know the circumstances of her death but Koujaku had been very anguished, even more so than one would expect. He had looked much different at the time, much older and his hair hanging over one eye. Vincent had gotten a glimpse of a tattoo under the hair and wondered why Koujaku hid it. He knew almost nothing about Koujaku's father other than the fact that Koujaku's mother had been his mistress, though he hadn't really known what that meant at the time.

 

He was also intrigued by the fact that Koujaku had mentioned his "boyfriend". Not that he had any problems with it since Vincent too was attracted to guys. He just hoped that Koujaku wouldn't think he was being intrusive.

 

Now Vincent had to start focusing on getting his apartment and possessions too big to take with him sold. Most of the furniture could be replaced anyway. His parents had left him a decent-sized trust fund that would get him to Midorijma and rent an apartment and buy some furniture. By his calculations, the trust fund would last him about four years so he wasn't too worried about proving he was finacially responsible. His parents had made sure to teach him how to budget.

 

He decided he would take some clothes, his Coil and his Allmate, Cleo, as well as his computer and saxophone. He would also take a few mementos of his parents, name photographs. He also had to find his passport and all his documentations. He had already hired a realtor to sell his apartment, which would help with his finances. He would buy the plane ticket once the apartment and possessions were sold. As there were already three offers on the apartment, he wasn't worried about it taking too long.

 

He sat back on his couch and sighed. He was 22 but he had still lived at home with his parents and had never really had to worry about these things before. Now it felt he had had to grow up suddenly despite having been an adult for four years already. He was anxious about the future. He had almost no family in the United States and the ones he had had not been pleased that his father had taken a Japanese wife and had completely disowned him as a result. Koujaku was the only family he knew of that he had left. Just being able to live near him would put Vincent's mind at easy a little.

 

Vincent's coil pinged. He answered the call and it was from the realtor. "Good news Vincent, I've found a buyer who is willing to pay the price I set. It will take a week or two to settle the sale so in the meantime I would recommend having a yard sale or something to sell your belongings." "That's great news!" Vincent said enthusiastically. That wasn't so bad. He had two weeks to get ready. After he spoke with the realtor for several more minutes, he hung up and started putting an everything-must-go garage sale ad on Craigslist. After this, he would buy his plane ticket online and then he would begin finding his passport and other documents.

 

Maybe his future would be brighter than he imagined it.


	3. Arriving in Midorijima

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vincent receives a warm welcome to Midorijima

Chapter 3

Two weeks later

Vincent had arrived in Midorijima airport feeling nervous. He had sent a text to Koujaku about the estimated arrival time and Koujaku said he would be there to greet him. Vincent walked to the luggage pick-up area and grabbed his two suitcases and stood with one in each hand as well as his backpack carry-on. His Siamese cat Allmate, Cleo, was helping him scan the crowd for his cousin. Koujaku had said he would be greeting him with a sign that said "Welcome Vincent" and that he would be wearing a bright red kimono.

"I'm not gonna lie Cleo, I'm nervous as shit", Vincent murmered. 

"I'm sure there is nothing to be nervous about. Your mastery of Japanese is excellent and you did all that research about Japanese customs. You'll be fine." Cleo replied in a soft, feminine yet computerized voice.

Vincent was glad Cleo was there. She had been one of his closest friends for the past few years. His parents had bought her for him for his 18th birthday and they had been close ever since. Cleo was very polite but did have a sense of humor.

Allmates were machines often designed to look like animals so many people kept them as pets, though non-animal versions did exist. They could be used to check email, answer calls, shop online and even could be used as a sort of camera, as the eyes of the newer models could record whatever they saw.

Cleo was also a fairly powerful Allmate in Rhyme, a popular virtual fighting game that was big worldwide. It had been popular ten or eleven years before but had fallen out of popularity for a time. Not too long ago, however, Rhyme had once again exploded with popularity. The referee of the Rhyme matches was an Allmate known as Usui. Unless you knew how to do a drive-by, an unauthorized Rhyme battle, you had to look online and often pay an information broker for info on where Usui would appear next. But one year ago, the Rhyme companies stopped using Usui with the fall of Toue inc. and Rhymers were able to initiate Rhyme fights themselves.

While Vincent was a fairly competent fighter in Rhyme, he wasn't overly obsessed with it as some Rhymers were. Rhymers who became addicted to Rhyme were known as Rhyme-Heads and were treated little better than druggies. There was another type of game known as Ribsteiz that involved physical fighting and putting their tag-art everywhere. The Rib players tended to look down on Rhyme players and were often indistiguishable from ordinary gang members. Vincent tried to avoid him when possible since they had a tendency to rough up "no-marks", people who were not part of a Rib team, so-named because Ribsters always had their tag-art tattooed somewhere on their bodies and they particularly loved beating up Rhymers.

Vincent scanned the crowd again, looking for a hint of a red kimono.

"Vincent," Cleo said. "Is that him over there to the left?"

Vincent turned towards where Cleo was looking and sure enough, he saw a tall man in a red kimono holding a sign saying "Welcome Vincent". Next to him was a shorter, blue-haired man in a white and blue puffy jacket. Vincent made his way through the crowd, Cleo following at his heels. As he approached his cousin, Koujaku put his arms around him in a warm hug. 

"Welcome to Midorijma, Vincent!" he said heartily. Vincent placed his suitcases on the ground and returned the hug.

"This is my boyfriend, Aoba" he continued, gesturing to the blue-haired guy, who extended his hand for a handshake, which Vincent took.

"Welcome Vincent! I'm happy to meet you!", Aoba greeted him.

"Thank you, I'm happy to meet you too," Vincent replied, softly. Aoba noticed he had a slight American accent but otherwise his Japanese was very good. He briefly glanced at Vincent and conceded that Vincent did resemble Koujaku quite a bit, from his long black hair and reddish eyes. He felt a sudden stirring feeling inside of him that surprised him. It wasn't from him though. It was from a presence he had not felt for over a year now, a presence he thought was gone for good. He suddenly felt a bit uneasy but forced the feeling aside and smiled at the dark-haired young man.

"Let us help you with your luggage," Koujaku offered, reaching for one of the suitcases. Aoba grabbed the other one. "There is a taxi waiting outside to take us to my home. When we get there, you can get settled in. We've already set up the living room up for you.

Vincent nodded and bent down to pick up Cleo.

"Is that your Allmate?" Aoba asked, curiously.

"Yes, her name is Cleo," Vincent replied.

"I'm pleased to meet you, Aoba," Cleo said politely.

"Ah, I'm pleased to meet you too," said Aoba cheerfully. "I'll have to introduce you to Beni and Ren, our Allmates. We left them at home. I'm sure they will be happy for a new companion".

"I'm quite looking foward to it," Cleo replied.

They had walked out of the airport terminal and out front was a taxi waiting. Vincent looked around curiously. He could see many tall buildings nearby and it looked quite modern, which was surprising for such a small island.

"This seems like a nice place," Vincent remarked as he got into the taxi, surprised when the door opened by itself and then shut again. That was definitely different from New York cabs. Koujaku put Vincent's suitcases and backpack in the trunk and slid in after Aoba.

"This is inside what was formerly Platinum Jail," Koujaku answered, a bit grimly. "Now it's been opened to the public now that the wall around it has been torned down. We live in the Old Resident District. It will take about 20 minutes to get there".

Vincent sat back, holding Cleo in his lap. He studied Koujaku. He had changed so much since the last time he saw him. His hair still covered his right eye and he had a long scar across the bridge of his nose. He then glanced at Aoba and thought he seemed quite good-looking, though his blue hair was quite unsual and he wondered if Aoba had dyed it. He was wearing large, retro-looking pink headphones, similar to the ones that Vincent owned, except his were red and black. Aoba looked like he would fit in very well in the 1980's.

They were quiet most of the trip and as they left the former Platinum Jail and entered the Old Residential District, he started feeling excited and rather hopeful as well. He glanced at Aoba again and he did a double-take. He could have sworn he had seen Aoba's eyes flicker and turn gold for an instant before turning back to their normal hazel color. Vincent shook his head. No, it had to have been his imagination.

"Anything wrong?" Koujaku asked.

"No, it's nothing", Vincent mumbled.

Or so he thought. He couldn't even begin to realize just how wrong he was.


	4. A Warm Welcome

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Koujaku gives Vincent the grand tour of his new home.

Chapter 4

"Here we are!" Koujaku said cheerfully, stepping put of the taxi. The cab driver opened the trunk and Koujaku and Aoba each grabbed a suitcase and Vincent grabbed his backpack. They had stopped in front of a small apartment building. It seemed quite nice even though it was in the Old Residential District.

The cab left and Koujaku continued as he led them up the stairs, "We're on the third floor". Vincent followed his cousin and Aoba up to the third floor and Koujaku used his key to open the door. Koujaku and Aoba both slipped their shoes off in the entrance. Yes, Vincent remembered, Japanese people take their shoes off when entering a home. Though Vincent's mother had been Japanese, this wasn't something that had ever been enforced in their home. She had conformed to the American way of life. She had made an occasional Japanese-style dinner but that was the extent of her sharing her culture other than insisting on Vincent growing up to be bilingual. Most of what Vincent knew about Japan came from the Internet.

He slipped his shoes off and then stepped into the living room. It was quite nice, which pleased Vincent. It was very traditionally Japanese. Koujaku seemed to favor red. "The couch folds out into a futon", Koujaku explained. "At night, you can just move the coffee table out of the way and unfold it." The couch was much lower than Vincent was used to but he didn't complain.

"Over here is the bathroom and the toilet room", said Koujaku, continuing the tour. He showed Vincent the door that led to the bath and the toilet. Vincent was a bit surprised. "The toilet and the bathroom aren't the same room?" he asked. "No, here in Japan the toilet is usually separate. Also, make sure you use the toilet slippers while you are in the toilet room and make sure you don't accidentally walk out of the toilet room with them on. They're considered very dirty."

"O-okay," Vincent said. Koujaku led him to a small room next to the bathroom, more of a closet than anything really. He opened the door, revealing a small washing machine. "Here is the washer so you can do your laundry. You can hang your clothes to dry on the balcony off the living room." Now he led Vincent towards the kitchen. It seemed very small to Vincent, who was used to the large, roomy kitchen in his parents' apartment. With a table and four chairs squeezed in, it made it seem even smaller. The stove top had just two eyes and what seemed to be a tiny oven underneath it. Vincent nodded towards it. "What is that? Is that your oven?"

"It's a fish grill. I don't have a regular oven, although I have a microwave oven that can be used for baking", Koujaku replied, gesturing towards the microwave sitting on a wire shelf. "The rice cooker is right next to it. I'll show you how to use it if you've never used one before. The cookware is down here", now Koujaku bent down to the cupboards under the sink area, "and plates, bowls and cups are up in the top cabinets. The chopsticks, forks and spoons are in this drawer. Any questions?"

"No, not at this time. I think I've got it,"Vincent replied. Then he remembered. "OH! I almost forgot but I got something for you and Aoba. It's in one of my suitcases. I read that it's polite to bring your host a gift".

"A gift? That was thoughtful of you, though you didn't have to go through the trouble. I know it's traditional but I don't tend to worry too much about it," Koujaku said, though rather touched.

The three young men went back to the living room and sat on the couch. Vincent pulled one of his suitcases towards him and rummaged through it. He had fretted on what to bring. On one hand, he didn't want to get something too expensive since Koujaku was monitoring him to make sure he was financially responsible, but on the other hand he didn't want to seem cheap. In the end, he had bought a bottle of good-quality brandy that wasn't too expensive. He had bought this for both of them. He had also bought a package of quality coffee for Koujaku and some good handmade chocolates for Aoba. He had bought both of these at a specialty food store. While a bit expensive, they were worth a small splurge.

The brandy had been carefully wrapped in bubble wrap and then put in a styrofoam casing. He had wrapped all the gifts himself. He pulled the three packages out and handed the brandy and coffee to Koujaku and the chocolates to Aoba. Though it was normal to wait until later to unwrap the presents, they decided not to wait since Vincent was looking at them expectedly. Koujaku unwrapped the brandy first. "That's for the both of you. I didn't know if you drank or not", Vincent said anxiously, hoping they would like his gifts.

"It's perfect! Aoba's not a heavy drinker but we do like an occasional drink. Thank you for your thoughtfulness," Koujaku said warmly.

Aoba had opened his package to find the gourmet chocolates. "Oh wow, these look great!" Aoba exclaimed. He picked one up and took a bite. "Mmm, so good! Want one Koujaku?" he offered the box to Koujaku. "Maybe later. I still have one more package to open". With that, he unwrapped the last gift. "Ohhhh (imagine his turkey noise here), some gourmet coffee! This will be perfect for Aoba. He is very difficult to wake up in the morning".

"Wha! I am not!" Aoba cried. "You just suck at waking me up!". He punched Koujaku playfully in the arm. "Ow!"Koujaku yelped in mock pain, holding his arm.

After they had gotten the pleasantries out of the way, Koujaku said seriously, "Okay, so as you know, I'm going to be watching how you handle your finances. You'll need to find a job soon and once you do, you'll put half in the bank and pay half of what is left for rent. I'll act as your reference to get a job as will Aoba and I know a few others who'll be happy to be a reference. At the end of these three months, if I satisfied that I can trust you, I'll act as your guarantor."

Vincent nodded. "I'll do my best. I'll start looking for a job tomorrow."

"Well now, you don't have to start THAT soon. I'm sure you're suffering from jet lag from your trip. Take about a week to recover and explore the city before you go committing yourself," Koukaju said. "I'm not in that big a rush. Did you bring all your documents? You'll need to apply for a Japanese ID first anyway as well as fill out some residency paperwork. You'll also need a bank account."

"Okay. I think I do need to rest just a bit." Vincent said, somewhat relieved.

"How about tomorrow Koujaku and I give you a guided tour of the city? " Aoba suggested. "We can introduce you to some of our friends and give you an idea how to navigate around here."

"That sounds fun!" Vincent said excitedly. In truth, he needed a distraction. Ever since his parents died, he had been quite depressed but he hadn't had time to grieve properly because of all the responsibility in settling their estate. He also still needed to finish transferring the money his parents left him to Midorijima. All he had to do to complete the process was open an account here and then contact the bank in New York and then he'd be set for a while.

"Okay then, have you eaten?" Koujaku asked.

"I ate about six hours ago," Vincent replied, suddenly feeling famished. He was also bone-tired. "Then Aoba and I'll cook some dinner. You take some time to rest and get unpacked. You can use the dresser I put against the wall over there to put your clothes in."

"Thank you," Vincent said gratefully. A little rest was exactly what he needed. He needed his strength for tomorrow.


	5. Awkwardness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something wakes Vincent in the middle of the night

Chapter 5

Later that night, Vincent was fast asleep on the couch bed. Koujaku had provided the linen, blanket and pillow. After dinner, Vincent had insisted on helping with the cleaning up. He didn't want to feel like a burden. Afterwards, he'd introduced Cleo to Koujaku and Aoba's Allmates, Beni, a red cardinal wearing a bead necklace and Japanese-style sandals called geta and Ren, a small, cute, fluffy dark blue dog whose tongue was always sticking out and wearing a spiked collar.

The first time Ren spoke, however, Vincent was completely taken aback, as he hadn't expected such a deep, baritone voice from such a small body. Aoba noticed his reaction and laughed. "Yeah, it does come as a shock the first time you hear his voice".

Cleo wandered over and sat at Vincent's feet and looked curiously at the other two Allmates. Ren bobbed his head slightly. "Good evening, I am pleased to meet you", he said. "Yeah, I'm pleased to meet you too!", Beni added. "Thank you. I'm happy to make your acquaintance", Cleo answered politely. "I hope you don't chase birds," Beni continued, a bit anxiously. "Don't worry,"Cleo answered reassuringly, "I haven't been programmed to act like a normal cat so I wouldn't think of chasing you". "Thanks for that," Beni said, relieved. "I already get chased by cats all the time!"

The Allmates gathered in the corner of the room near the door that lead to the balcony as Koujaku and Aoba helped Vincent finish unpacking. Vincent pulled his saxophone case out of his suitcase. "What is that?" Koujaku asked. "It's just my saxophone" Vincent answered. "Oh? Is that so? Maybe you can play for us sometime after you get settled in", Aoba said.

"That would be good. I've been playing for years and I've gotten pretty good at it" Vincent said somewhat proudly. It was true that he had been playing saxophone since he was 9 years old and he had become quite skilled at it, to the point where his music teacher believed he was a musical prodigy.

"There, that's the last of it" Vincent said triumphantly, pushing the last drawer of the dresser shut. "Okay, it's getting late so we're going to go to bed. If you want to take a shower before bed, go ahead," Koujaku said.

"Thank you, I think I will" Vincent said. He was so tired he wanted to fall asleep immediately but he didn't want to go to sleep dirty and sweaty. So after a nice shower, he put on a long nightshirt and then crawled into his sofa bed and within a few minutes he was asleep.  
\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Later that night

Vincent jerked awake, not quite sure what woke him up. He tried to orient himself, not quite remembering where he was at first because he was so groggy. From the bedroom, he heard loud moaning coming from two people and he suddenly remembered where he was. He lay there silently, listening to the ardent moaning of what had to be Aoba and the deeper grunts coming from Koujaku. _Holy shit,_ Vincent thought, _Aoba has the sexiest voice I ever heard!_ A sudden squeal from Aoba sent Vincent hard as a rock in an instant. He gulped and groaned softly as he listened to the loud, wet sound of flesh slapping together.

Vincent reached beneath the blanket and lightly started stroking himself, biting his lip to keep from making any noise. His breathing grew deeper and he stroked himself with a little more strength. For a moment, he wished he was in Aoba's place before remembering in horror that Koujaku was his cousin.

Just as Aoba's moans reached a crescendo, Vincent felt his essence rise and then release all over his hand. He lay there panting quietly, feeling relieved at the silence coming from the bedroom. _I'm such a pervert, jerking off to my cousin and his boyfriend getting it on_ , Vincent thought.

He got out of bed and headed to the bathroom to wash up. He remembered to put on the bathroom slippers. He wiped himself up and washed his hands, hoping he didn't get any on the sheets or blanket. He splashed some water on his face to cool down. It was sweltering in this apartment. The balcony door was open but it was still so hot and humid. Vincent made a mental note to ask Koujaku about an A/C unit tomorrow though he seemed to remember that most Japanese houses did not have much heating or cooling.

Sighing, Vincent walked out the bathroom before freezing in alarm. _I forgot to take the damn slippers off!! I'm such an idiot!_ A bit embarrassed, he walked back to the bathroom and took the slippers off, grateful that there was no one there to witness his faux pas. _You are going to be living here now Vincent! he told himself, you need to get into the habit of acting the way the Japanese do!_

He slipped back into his bed and tried to get comfortable. He listened carefully for any noise coming from the bedroom but all was silent but for the Allmates talking quietly among themselves on the balcony. This place was so quiet, so unlike New York. He took out his headphones, a red and black pair and put on some music.

**Shin ai naru utsushiyo yo yogoshi teku reyo**   
**Kanashii utawo umaku utau omae**   
**Magire monaku nogare youmonai sekai**   
**Shinen naru yoru no iro omae mo mite ru**   
**Itami wo kure naika deeta ga hoshii**   
**Yume ya maboroshi janai daremo mita koto monai**

As he listened to the amazing sexy voice of Atsushi Sakurai, lead singer of his favorite Japanese band, Buck-Tick, Vincent slowly drifted off to sleep, worries fading from his consciousness.


	6. Out on the Town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Koujaku gives Vincent an abridged tour of the Old Resident District.

Chapter 6

Aoba lay breathing heavily in Koujaku's arms, exhausted and sweaty. "You know, Vincent very likely heard that", he gasped. Koujaku shrugged. I already told you, I don't care who hears. It's no one's business".

As Aoba's breathing returned to normal, he was hit with a sudden pain in his head. His hand reflexively went to his head. "Ow ow ow!" he exclaimed.

"What is it Aoba? Your headaches are coming back?" Koujaku asked, concerned, placing his hands on Aoba's shoulders as Aoba tried to sit up.

Aoba nodded, still clutching his head. "I thought your headaches were gone for good! Is it...is it HIM?"

"Yeah, I noticed it when we were in the taxi with Vincent. I don't know why he is acting up again", Aoba said in a worried tone.

Koujaku was worried as well. "Tomorrow, we should stop by your house and ask Tae-san if she still has your medicine".

Aoba shook his head vehemently. "No. I don't want to be dependent on that medicine again. And anyway, the more I hold him back, the more he fights it."

"But what if he manages to break out again? How do we keep him in control? Maybe it was a bad idea to move Vincent here if this is going to happen", Koujaku said.

"No, I think we did the right thing letting Vincent stay here. Besides, it's just for a short time. I'll try my best to control the other me until Vincent gets his own place," Aoba answered.

Koujaku didn't like it but it was too late to change anything. He knew Aoba had another personality, one that was aggressive and sadistic. He had disappeared for a time after the Oval Tower collapsed and for him to appear on the day that Vincent arrived seemed like an ill-omen to Koujaku. As he and Aoba lay down and tried to go to sleep, Koujaku prayed he would not regret his decision.  
\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
The next day, Koujaku took Vincent down to the bank as he promised to set up his account. Aoba had to work that day, though Koujaku had decided to take a couple of days off from cutting hair to get Vincent acquainted with the town. With the bank account set up, all Vincent had to do was contact his bank in New York and have his funds transfered. 

"Well, now that is done, I want to introduce you to the Benishigure," Koujaku said.

"Benishigure?" Vincent asked.

"My Ribsteez gang. I'm their leader," Koujaku said proudly. "R-ribsteez gang?' Vincent asked, suddenly nervous.

Koujaku stopped walking. "What's wrong?" Koujaku asked.

"Um, it's just that I...um...well, I play Rhyme sometimes," Vincent said, anxiously. What if Koujaku had something against Rhyme? Would he hate him?

Koujaku looked at him silently for a moment. "I see", he said finally.

"I mean, I don't play Rhyme all the time", Vincent went on hurriedly,"I'm not hooked on it or anything. It's just in America, Ribsters REALLY hate Rhymers, even casual players".

After a few more moments of silence, Koujaku spoke, "To be honest, I don't really care for Rhyme. However, you are my family so you'll be perfectly safe. Besides, a few of my guys also play the game. As long as they don't get too carried away with it, I don't have a problem with it". Koujaku started walking again, before turning towards Vincent with a playful gleam in his eye. "And maybe once you meet a few Ribsters and learn more about Ribsteez, you may decide you like it better than Rhyme".

Vincent gave a small sigh of relief that Koujaku didn't turn hostile. Usually all it took was mentioning Rhyme to piss off a Ribster. He had more than his fair share of run-ins with hostile Ribsters and didn't want to go through it again, especially with his own family.

As they walked and Koujaku pointed out different landmarks and popular places, they came to an alley with several tag arts everywhere. "This is Dry Juice's territory. The leader of Dry Juice is a friend of mine and Aoba's, Mizuki. They are the biggest Ribsteez team on the island, but they are generally nice guys. So try to stay on their good side, otherwise they will kick your ass," Koujaku mentioned casually. "Of course, once they know you are my cousin, you'll be fine since the Benishigure and Dry Juice get along pretty well.”

Vincent gulped. “Thanks for the warning.” His stomach suddenly growled. They had been walking for a few hours and it was nearly lunch time.

“I think we should stop and get a bite to eat. We’ll get something for Aoba too and take it to him at work.” Koujaku decided.

“That sounds good,” Vincent said gratefully.


	7. Meeting Benishigure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vincent meets a couple of members of Benishigure.

Chapter 7

They stopped by a convenience store for lunch. _Konbini_ Vincent thought, _They call convenience stores konbini here_. Koujaku bought himself a bento box and another one to take to Aoba. Vincent had spent some time gawking at the store in awe. It was nothing like convenience stores in America!

 

Koujaku explained to Vincent that convenience stores could be used to pay rent and utilities and other useful things. Vincent thought that was incredibly convenient. _At least here, convenience stores are actually convenient_ Vincent thought before his eye was caught by some onigiri on a shelf. They were only 100 yen apiece so he bought two to go with the bento box he had selected. He also found some kind of drink called melon soda which was a bright green that he had never seen before in anything that wasn't the mutagen in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

 

After they had paid and stepped out, they begin heading towards Aoba's workplace, Heibon Junk Shop. "Benishigure's territory is on the way to Aoba's work so we'll stop and say hi for a few minutes", Koujaku stated. "There should be some members hanging around there."

 

"Okay", Vincent replied. They walked in silence for a few minutes. "Have you thought about what kind of apartment you are aiming for?" Koujaku asked. Vincent thought for a moment. "I'm not real particular, but one thing I do not want is a squatty potty. The last thing I want is to give my thighs a workout in the middle of the night".

 

Koujaku burst out laughing at this. "I think the Benishigure are going to like you. You've definitely have a sense of humor!"

 

They had turned a corner and Vincent saw a couple of men standing around outside a shop.

 

"Oi! That's them! Kou! Hagima!"

 

"Hey Koujaku! Where've you been?" asked one of the young men, who had shaggy gray-brown hair and wearing traditional Japanese-style clothing. In fact, they all seemed to be wearing Japanese-style clothing.

 

"I took a couple of days off from work so I could get my cousin settled in" Koujaku replied.

 

"Ooh, right. You did say your cousin was coming to stay with you" said the one called Hagima. He studied Vincent closely, making him a little nervous.

 

"Wow, he definitely looks like you!" he said finally. "He has the same hair and eye color." He extended his hand. "I'm Hagima".

 

Vincent took his hand, relieved when Hagima made the first move, as Vincent had been wondering if he should shake his hand or bow.

 

"I'm Kou! Welcome to Midorijima! Your name is Vincent, right?" Kou said, also extending his hand.

 

Vincent shook his hand as well, feeling slightly weird at their use of the pronoun "ore" (I, me), rather the more formal "watashi". From what he had read, "ore" was considered a word that only tough guys used and was considered rude in everyday conversation. On top of that, they also used the much more informal "omae" (you). Perhaps it made sense, given they were part of a gang.

 

Vincent himself tended to use very formal pronouns, regarding them as safer to use and less likely to cause awkwardness.

 

"Hello, yes, my name is Vincent" he said, somewhat stiltedly. Kou and Hagima stared for a minute before bursting out laughing.

 

"Did I say something wrong?!" Vincent asked, panicking.

 

"I think they're laughing because you talk like a noble person" Koujaku explained gently. "It's like if an American person started speaking like British royalty".

 

_Oh god oh god!! This is exactly what I was trying to avoid! Stupid stupid stupid!!_

 

"Should I use "boku" instead?" Vincent asked meekly.

 

"Boku is generally used by young boys or those who want to appear childish. Your best bet would be to stick with ore", Koujaku answered.

 

"Ore? But isn't that considered rude?" Vincent asked, wondering if he had gotten false information.

 

"It would be best not to use it around many older people or your boss, but it's fine to use it around your peers," Koujaku explained.

 

"Oh, I see" Vincent said, a bit embarrassed. He hadn't even been there twenty-four hours and he was already making a fool of himself.

 

"Ah, don't be embarrassed! It's not a big deal!" Koujaku said cheerfully, patting his back. "After a few weeks you'll adjust! Just give it time!"

 

Suddenly Kou leaned forward. "Hey, you're wearing a Buck-Tick shirt! I love them!" he shouted.

 

Vincent immediately perked up. "Yeah? Me too! They're my favorite band! I have all their albums!"

 

"I do too! They're great! They're..."

 

"Ah, sorry but we gotta get going" Koujaku said quickly, knowing if Kou got started on his favorite bands, they were going to be there a couple of hours. "We need to get Aoba's lunch to him. We'll see you later!"

 

"Okay! See you tomorrow then Koujaku? Your fangirls are starting to miss you!"

 

Koujaku chuckled. "Yeah, I'll be back at work tomorrow. A hairdresser's life can be hectic sometimes".

 

"Bye Koujaku! Bye Vincent! See you around sometime!" Kou and Hagima waved.

 

With that, Koujaku and Vincent waved back before starting along again towards Junk Shop Heibon.


	8. Fighting With Yourself

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Desire finally breaks free. Can Aoba manage to suppress him again?

Chapter 8

They arrived at Heibon Junk Shop shortly after they left Benishigure. It didn't seem impressive from the outside but inside was so many interesting things that Vincent immediately started looking around while Koujaku gave Aoba his lunch.

 

"Ah, thanks Koujaku!" Aoba said gratefully. His boss came in and told Aoba that he could take a break. "Thanks Mr. Haga!" Aoba said. He and Koujaku started walking towards the door that led down to the break room. "Oi! This way Vincent!" Koujaku called. Vincent looked a little disappointed but decided browsing could wait. He still hadn't eaten his lunch and he was starving.

 

He followed Koujaku and Aoba down to the basement area. There was a coffee table and a matching sofa and chair around it. Aoba and Koujaku sat on the sofa and Vincent took the chair. He took the plastic lid off his bento box. Whatever was in the box looked good. There was some kind of round flat breaded fried thing, a couple of what appeared to be glazed meatballs, something he wasn't sure of but thought it look like potato, corn and carrot in it, and some rice with a purplish-red round thing on top.

 

"Hey Koujaku, what is this?" Vincent asked, pointing to the stuff with potatoes and carrot. "Oh that's potato salad. Have you had it before?"

 

"Yeah, but it looks different from I've eaten before. How about these?" he continued, pointing to the rest of the food.

 

"The round fried thing is a shrimp croquette. Those are chicken meatballs with a sweet soy glaze and the thing on the rice is a pickled plum, _umeboshi_. They're really salty so be careful not to eat it in one bite." Koujaku warned.

 

"Thanks for the warning", Vincent answered, before taking a bite. It was all delicious, even the umeboshi. He shredded it with his chopsticks and mixed it with his rice and he had to admit that it added a very interesting to the rice.

 

Koujaku and Aoba just chatted while Vincent unwrapped one of his onigiri and took a bite. It appeared to be grill salmon. Salmon wasn't his favorite fish but it wasn't too bad. Koujaku got up and went over to the coffee pot sitting on a counter. He brought Aoba a cup. "Vincent, you want a cup of coffee?" he asked.

 

"I'm good, thanks" he replied with his mouth a bit full. He swallowed. "Sorry" he said sheepishly.

 

Koujaku brought a cup for himself, but as he was sitting, he lost his grip on the handle of the cup and spilled down the front of his kimono. Aoba jumped up. "Koujaku! Are you alright? Are you burned anywhere?" he cried in concern.

 

"It's alright, it didn't burn me,"Koujaku answered, holding the front of his kimono away from his chest. "It just wet the kimono. It's already starting to cool off. I just need to go into the water closet and dry it off under the air dryer. Please excuse me". Koujaku stood back up and walked into the restroom and closed the door.

 

Aoba was relieved Koujaku wasn't hurt and sat back down. He glanced at Vincent and he suddenly felt a small pain in his head. Why was his other self interested in Vincent?

 

Suddenly a surge of pain had him grabbing his head.

 

"Aoba? Are you alright?" Vincent asked, worried.

 

_Let me out. Let me out_ , came the voice from Aoba's head.

 

_No, I can't! What are you up to?!_ Aoba thought to himself, angrily.

 

_Switch with me._

 

A sudden surge of pain made Aoba temporarily black-out. As Vincent looked on, Aoba lifted his head and Vincent saw the same golden eyes he had seen in the taxi. Aoba also had a rather leering look on his face.

 

"Aoba?" Vincent said nervously. He was really not liking that look and started to stand up. "Leaving already? We haven't even gotten acquainted yet," Aoba purred, reaching out to grasp Vincent's arm.

 

"AOBA!" Vincent exclaimed as Aoba pulled Vincent towards him.

 

"No need to be afraid Vincent," Aoba said, pulling Vincent's face closer and licking at his lips. "Aoba NO!" Vincent cried angrily, pushing him away. "This is wrong! Koujaku is just over there in the bathroom!".

 

"So? Ever heard of a...what is the word? Ménage à trois? It could be fun," Aoba breathed, reaching for Vincent again.

 

At that moment, having heard the commotion, Koujaku burst out of the bathroom. He took one look at the situation, noticing Aoba's golden eyes and he knew what was up.

 

"Oi! Bring Aoba back!" he demanded.

 

"HUH?!" Vincent was confused. Bring Aoba back? Aoba was right here! He was acting creepy, but he was there.

 

"Oh Koujaku, why don't we have some fun together first?" Aoba asked.

 

"No, you are going to bring Aoba back!" Koujaku threatened, grabbing Aoba by the front of his shirt. Aoba just smirked at him before suddenly yelling and grabbing his head again.

 

Koujaku let go of Aoba's shirt and Aoba slumped to his knees, still clutching his head in agony. "Aoba, fight it! You can do it!" Koujaku said encouragingly. "Don't let him win!"

 

Slowly, Aoba lifted his head and Koujaku saw that Aoba's eyes had gone back to his usual amber color. Koujaku hugged him in relief.

 

"Thank goodness! Are you okay now?"

 

"Y-yeah. I managed to force him back down into my subconscious" Aoba said wearily.

 

Having heard the yelling, Haga-san came running down the stairs. "Goodness, what's wrong? Why are you yelling?" he asked in concern.

 

"It's nothing, just a headache," Aoba said quickly.

 

"Ehh? I thought you stopped getting those headache! Maybe you need to start taking your medicine again," Haga-san suggested.

 

"Maybe..." Aoba answered vaguely.

 

"Maybe you should take the rest of the day off. We aren't very busy today and I can run the store," Haga-san decided.

 

"But boss...!" Aoba began.

 

But Haga-san wasn't hearing it. "You need to rest and get rid of that headache," he said firmly. "It's not good that these headaches are coming back. If you still feel bad tomorrow morning, call me and let me know. I also highly suggest you visit your grandmother and let her know your headaches are coming back."

 

With that, Haga-san headed back up the stairs.

 

Through it all, Vincent could only stare bewildered. "Okay, what's going on with Aoba? What was all of that about Aoba 'fighting it'? What is 'it'?" he demanded, a bit shakily.

 

Koujaku sighed. "It's a bit of a long story. When we get home, I'll explain everything." With that, Koujaku and Aoba packed up what was left of their lunch and after cleaning up the spilled coffee, they headed upstairs so Aoba could retrieve Ren and his bag.

 

Feeling more uncertain than ever, Vincent followed.

 


	9. It's all so Clear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vincent meets another of Aoba's friends while out walking.

Chapter 9

Back at Koujaku's apartment, Vincent sat on the sofa, shoulders hunched while Koujaku and Aoba spoke in low tones in the bedroom. Cleo crawled on Vincent's lap.

 

"Are you okay? Did something happen while you were out today?" Cleo asked with concern.

 

"Yeah, but I'm fine. I'm just nervous. I feel like I'm a burden on them and I've only been here one day. I think I'm going to start looking for a job tomorrow," Vincent mumbled.

 

"Has your jetlag passed?" Cleo inquired.

 

"Well, no. But it may be for the best if I get things going as soon as possible", Vincent answered with a sigh. "It's already getting kind of awkward around here".

 

The door to the bedroom opened and Koujaku and Aoba stepped out. Koujaku sat beside Vincent on the couch and Aoba sat in a chair.

 

Koujaku cleared his throat. "Aoba and I were just talking and we've decided that we're still going to go through with our original plan. You will still stay here the three months. But we will need to make sure you aren't alone with Aoba. You see, Aoba has another personality that seems to be triggered when you are around each other," he said.

 

"Another personality? You mean, like a split-personality?" Vincent asked.

 

"Yes, something like that," Koujaku continued and then hesitated. He and Aoba discussed how they would tell Vincent. They decided to stick with the split personality as the most reasonable excuse, though Koujaku and Aoba both were aware that the other Aoba was something more than that. They also decided not to bring up the fact that the other Aoba could use SCRAP, an ability that allowed Aoba to control people with his voice and even go inside their heads. Vincent would be better off not knowing.

 

However, they knew they would be required to keep Vincent and Aoba away from each other as much as possible, or at least keep them from being alone together. They didn't want to send Vincent away. It wasn't his fault. So this was the best solution they could come up with.

 

Koujaku saw Vincent's misery, guessing he felt like a burden and tried to reassure him.

 

"Now now, don't be so upset. I'm just letting you know the situation. I don't blame you for this situation." Koujaku smiled and patted Vincent's head.

 

"I'm going to start looking for a job tomorrow," Vincent answered, feeling a bit relieved.

 

"Now, don't think I'm rushing you," Koujaku said quickly. "After all, you must still be suffering from jetlag."

 

"Yeah I know, but I'll feel better if I get an early start. It might take a bit to find a job and I don't want to waste time. Also, if I'm out job hunting then there is less chance I'll end up alone with Aoba," Vincent said.

 

"Hmm, that is true and I will be here at night. I still think you should rest a bit but I won't stop you if you want to start job-hunting," Koujaku sighed.

 

He really hated making Vincent feel like a burden. He seemed like a sweet guy. He wished he could convince Aoba to start taking his medicine again. He hoped Tae could convince him, at least until Vincent found his own place.

 

"If it's alright, can I explore the town a bit more, alone?" Vincent asked.

 

"Will you be alright?" Aoba asked. "This place is pretty big and you may get lost,".

 

"I'll take Cleo with me. She can download a map of the city." Vincent answered.

 

"Alright, but be careful. Some of the Ribsteez gangs can get a bit rough. Also be careful around police officers. The ones on the island are pretty corrupt. Their captain, Akushima was fired but the others are still pretty bad," Koujaku warned.

 

"I'll be careful," Vincent promised. He wanted to get out and walk around. It helped him think. It was only about 2:00 PM so he had plenty of time to explore.

* * *

  
About 10 minutes later, Vincent started getting thirsty. He had forgotten his melon soda at Heibon Junk Shop after all the confusion, so he decided to buy another drink. He glanced around, looking for a vending machine. "What are you looking for Vincent?" Cleo asked. "I'm looking for a drink machine. I left mine at Aoba's workplace", he replied.

 

Cleo opened up a digital map screen and scanned it. "There is a drink machine about 50 feet northwards" she said, closing the map screen. "Follow me" she said and started heading that direction. Vincent followed gratefully, wondering where he'd be without Cleo. She led him to the machine, where he bought a Coke and drank it. Unbeknownst to him, he was being followed.

 

He drained the can and threw it in a nearby waste bin and turned around, only to get the fright of his life.

 

"AHHHH!!!" he screamed.

 

"AHHHHHHHHH!!!" said the guy following him, startled. He started backing away, but his feet somehow got tangled and he landed on his butt.

 

"OWWWW!!! Ow ow ow!"

 

By this time, Vincent had somewhat gotten over his fright. "What are you doing? Don't sneak up on me!" Vincent scolded and then paused. The guy on the ground was wearing a gas mask. He had short, white hair and was wearing what appeared to be a lab coat with a yellow scarf.

 

"I-I'm sorry! Sorry sorry sorry!" The guy said, getting on his knees and bowing over and over. "I didn't mean to startle you! I thought your voice sounded familiar. I heard Master's and Koujaku-san's voices a little earlier and your voice was with them!"

 

"HUH?" Now Vincent was confused. "You know Aoba and Koujaku? And what do you mean you heard our voices? Were you following us?" Vincent demanded.

 

"No, I wasn't following you. I just have really good hearing," the man said good-naturedly as he rose to his feet. "Also, yes I do know Master and Koujaku-san. We're good friends."

 

"Why do you keep calling Aoba "Master"?" Vincent asked.

 

"Because he is my Master. What else could I call him?" he said in a confused voice.

 

Great. Some more weird shit about Aoba. As if the split personality thing wasn't crazy enough, now he seemed to have some kind of S&M fetish.

 

"What is your name?" Vincent asked. "I'm Vincent. I'm Koujaku's cousin. I just moved here yesterday".

 

"My name is Clear. And I'm happy to meet a cousin of Koujaku-san's, Vincent-san" Clear answered, bowing. Vincent awkwardly bowed back.

 

"Is Master still at Koujaku-san's?" he asked. "Yes, he was there when I left," Vincent replied. "Ah, great! Then I will pay them a visit. I hope to see you some more in the future", he said. Then he reached into his white lab coat, pulled out a clear, plastic umbrella and opened it. "Well, so long then!" Clear said cheerfully, walking away. Vincent just stared after him.

 

"Did that really just happen or was I hallucinating?"


End file.
